press: architectural digest
Sportscaster Charissa Thompson Talks Shop About Her New Interior Design Company
The television host takes AD inside her recently renovated home office space
By Isis Briones
September 9, 2021
Sportscaster Charissa Thompson launched her own interior design company named House & Home, and she recently transformed her garage into a home office .Photo: Jon Volk
Sportscaster Charissa Thompson is calling the shots on and off camera. At the start of the pandemic, the television host—who has worked for Fox Sports, ESPN, Extra, and more—launched her own interior design company. Named House & Home, Thompson and her team pride themselves in offering affordable design services. “We’re not here to make a ton of money,” she tells AD. “Our goal is to turn your house into a home. We like to equate our company to fashion, so instead of couture clothing you’re never going to buy, you go after a practical quality alternative.”
She’s been successfully reimagining homes across the country for a little over a year now and has no plans of slowing down. “A dream of mine would be to go into someone’s house and not spend a dime, but to use their existing items to switch things up,” she says. “Sometimes people use finances as the reason why they can’t fix up their home, but I’m telling you, paint and good design goes a long way.”
Recently Thompson transformed her own garage, creating a home office from which to run her business. She was on a mission to put together something functional while prioritizing the coziness that comes with being able to work from home. Below, Thompson lets AD in on her design playbook.
Ample storage was a must for Thompson’s home office. She also added unique touches such as a Kelly Wearstler lamp and chairs from CB2. Photo: Jon Volk
Architectural Digest: What made you want to start an interior design company?
Charissa Thompson: Similar to sports, my love for interior design started when I was really young. When my parents were building their first home together—I think I was six—I remember my mom saying, ‘Since you’re the youngest, you get to pick first: Which room do you want?’ It was probably the only time I got preferential treatment, and I picked the room with the bay window. I’ve always loved design, so I decided to turn my passion into a profession during the pandemic because I found that so many people wanted to feel more at home and change their space.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
When I was working at Extra, I heard someone call my name. I turned around, walked over, and she was like, ‘My name is Amber Lewis and I love your show.’ I freaked out because I didn’t expect to see the well-known [force behind] Amber Interiors—which I love—at work. It was surreal. I’m also very inspired by Studio McGee. Their affordable, attainable Target collection aligns with House & Home. I’m all about high-low—spend a lot on the couch and not the console table. Kelly Wearstler is my muse, but I don’t take as many risks as she does. Not everyone can be like her; she’s in a class all on her own.
What was the vision for your home office?
To truly make it feel like I was working from home. Building a living room off of the work space was intentional, as was creating a space that felt comfortable and not sterile or cold, given that it’s in a garage. Storage was a necessity, so adding the second level was a must. Trying to make storage look pretty isn’t always easy, but we feel like we pulled things off with the extra level and art rack that maximized every inch of space.
When working with athletes, do you typically set up workout areas? What advice do you have for elevating this space?
Most athletes actually have facilities of their own, but a young woman who works from home reached out about wanting a place to work out. We added a workout area to her office space. Tonal is a machine that I love and advocate for because it’s an all-in-one gym for weight training. It goes up against the wall and it’s very sleek. Mirror is also a designer’s best friend. It’s a mirror that provides yoga and a bunch of other workouts. Also I really do emphasize wallpaper so that it doesn’t look so gym-like. It’ll warm up the place. I’m big on texture and color, even neutrals, just something to take away from what otherwise would be a sterile, gym feel.
You already have a signature candle. Do you have plans of releasing more home goods in the future?
My dream is to develop a whole home line. Everything from blankets to pillows and accessories. I’m constantly inspired by other people who have done that. There’s something from every home I’ve designed that I really do use and I want House & Home’s name on that.
Read the full article here: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/charissa-thompson-interior-design